Car-underframe.



E. B. BERGENDAHL.

C'AR UNDERFRAME.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I,, 1914.

Patented May 25, 1915.

IN VEN TOR. WITNESSES: 75' m 76- J/ y I A TTORNE Y5.

IHE. NORRIS PETERS co PHOTOJJTHOH WASHINGTON, D. c.

FIQI.

EINAR B. BERGENDAHL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HERBERT R. KEITHLEY, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA.

CAR-UNDERFRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1915.

Application filed August 1, 1914. Serial N 0. 854,439.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, EINAR B. BERGEN- DAIIL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Underframes, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that type of steel car underframe in which the load is carried almost wholly by the center sill or sills and has for its main object to reduce a strong, simple construction which will permit the use of a sill or sills extending continuously from one end of the car to the other, or at least past the bolsters, without diminution in depth above the truck bolsters.

A further object of my invention is to produce an improved underframe construction in which the greater portion of the load is carried by the center sill or sills, wherein the middle portion of the sill or sills may be relieved of a large part of the load ordinarily carried thereby in this type of underframe, without requiring heavy side sills or the equivalent thereof.

A further object of my invention is to produce a novel underframe construction which shall secure such a distribution of the load as to combine strength and lightness, make it possible to use light side sills and comparatively shallow center sill or sills.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one-half of the underframe arranged in accordance with one form of my'invention; and Fig. 2 is a section taken approximately on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents Where it is secured to the end sill, 3, of any usual construction.

4-, 4 are light side sills extending continuously throughout the length of the underframe from end sill to end sill.

Between the bolsters and arranged parallel therewith aretwo transoms, one of which is illustrated at 5. The transoms may be variously spaced but I prefer to place them at the quarter points or even closerto the bolsters. In the arrangement shown, the bolster 5 is shown at the quarter point, that is just halfway between the center of the car and the corresponding bolster. The transoms are rigidly connected to the center sill and the side sills are rigidly connected to the ends of the transoms. Each transom therefore constitutes two cantaliver arms extending in opposite direction from the center sill and supporting at their outer ends the two side sills.

With so much of the construction as I have heretofore described, without anything more, it would be necessary to employ heavy side sills and also heavy center sills; heavy side sills being required because of the long span between the transoms and heavy center dle portion of the center sill or be transferred to the center sill through the transoms. In accordance with my invention, I cause the long spans of the side sills and also that portion of the center sill between the transoms to be relieved of a large portion of the load which would otherwise come directly upon these parts. To this end I have arranged between each side sill and the center sill a longitudinal beam, 6, which lies parallel with the center sill and side sills and is supported at its ends by the transom. Each of these intermediate beams carries some of the load which would otherwise come directly upon the long span in the corresponding side sill and therefore permits this portion of the side sill to be made much lighter than would otherwise be the case. Furthermore, since in actual practice the side sills willrbe of uniform cross section throughout, the'addition of the intermediate beam 6 brings about a reduction in size throughout the entire length ofthe side sills.

The situation with respect to the center sills tion with the side sills, the portion of the sibleto conform with M. C. B. standards 7 while the twenty inch I-beam would make it impossible to conform with these standards unless a section of the web were removed to 'permit the depth to be reduced sufficiently to allow the beams to pass the bolsters. In the one case there is a strong, light, simple underframe requiring no cutting or extra work to prepare the center sill to pass the bolsters while, on the other hand, with the twenty inch beams, the underframe is heavy and costly and, because it is necessary to cut the webs of the beams, the construction is not as strong as the other unless expensive reinforcing is employed. 7

As a subsidiary feature of my invention, I contemplate employing between the transoms one or more cross bearers, 7, extending between each side sill and the center sill. In the arrangement shown, each cross bearer extends continuously from the corresponding side sill to the center. sill, passing through the web of the corresponding intermediate beam 6. These auxiliary cross bearers insure a more even distribution of 'a concentrated load between the several longitudinal beams or sills than could otherwise be obtained. For example, a concentrated load uponthe central span of one of the side sills will be partly carried by the corresponding intermediate beam 6 while a concentrated load above one of the intermediate beams will be distributed through the cross bearer or bearers to the center sill and the corresponding side sill.,

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the terms employed in the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:v

1. In a car underframe, bolsters, a center sill extending between said bolsters, two cantalivers extendingf laterally from each side of the center sill to the'corres'ponding I side of the underframe, the cantalivers on each side being symmetrically disposed with respect to the transverse central axis of the nderframe, and'intermediate load-carrying sills lying parallel with the center sill between the latter and the side of the underframe and supported at its ends by the two corresponding cantalivers.

2. In a car underframe, bolsters, a center sill extending between said bolsters, two cantalivers extending laterally from each side of the center sill to the corresponding side of the underframe, the cantalivers on each side being symmetrically disposed with respect to the transverse central axis of the underframe, intermediate load-carrying sills lying parallel with the center sill between the latter and the side of the underframe and supported at its ends by the two corresponding cantalivers, and means supported on the outer ends of the cantalivers for carrying a portion of the load.

3. In a car underframe, bolsters, a center sill supported on the bolsters, two transoms rigidly secured to the center sill and spaced apart a distance at least equal to one-half the distance between the bolsters, and 1ntermediate sills arranged between the center sill and the sides of the underframe and each supported at its ends by the transoms.

4. In a car underframe, bolsters, a center sill extending between the bolsters, side sills extending betweenthe bolsters, two transoms arranged between the bolsters on opposite sides of the transverse central axis of the underframe, each transom being rigidly secured to the center sill and engaging at the outer ends with the side sills, and intermediate sills lying between the center sill and the side sills and each supported at its ends by the transoms.

5. In a car underframe, bolsters, a center sill extending between the bolsters, side sills extending between the bolsters, two transoms arranged between the bolsters on opposite sides of the transverse central axis of the underframe, each transom being rigidly secured to the center sill and engaging at the outer ends with the side sills, intermediate sills lying between the center sill and the side sills and each supported at its ends by the transoms, and cross bearers connecting the side sills, the intermediate sills and the center sill together.

6. In a car underframe, bolsters, a center sill extending between the bolsters, side sills extending between the bolsters, two transoms arranged between the bolsters, each transom being rigidly secured to the center sill and engaging at the outer ends with the side sills, intermediate sills lying between the center sill and the side sills and each supported at its ends by the transoms, and cross bearers in the form of continuous beams connected at their ends to the side sills and to 7. In a car underframe, a center sill, two

transoms rigidly secured to the center sill at opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the latter, and intermediate load-carrying sills lying parallel with the center sill between the latter and the sides of the underframe and each supported at its ends by the transoms.

8. In a car underframe, a center sill, supports for the center sill, two transoms rigidly secured to the center sill and spaced apart a distance at least equal to one-half of the distance between said supports, and short intermediate sills arranged between the center sill and the sides of the underframe and each supported at its ends by the transoms.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

EINAR B. BERGENDAHL.

Witnesses:

. WM. F. F REUDENREIGH, RUTH E. ZETTERVALL.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the G'ommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

